Rivers, Chargers get ready to talk

Signing QB among team's major tasks

MOBILE, Ala. 
As the LaDainian Tomlinson situation percolates, another key component to the Chargers' offseason and salary-cap machinations is about to commence.

General Manager A.J. Smith confirmed yesterday that the team will very soon begin negotiations with quarterback Philip Rivers on a long-term contract.

“You offer a contract and hope for the best,” Smith said while watching a Senior Bowl practice. “We'll have a contract (offer) and hope it's successful. If not, we have the franchise (tag).”

This is not a surprise, but it is certainly significant.

The roots of Tomlinson's possible departure are based in the large chunk of salary cap he would currently take up, as the team has several key players whose contracts expire in the next two years.

“We have a lot we need to do,” Smith said.

Chief among those tasks is signing the quarterback who this season became the center of the offense and next season will play the final year of his current contract.

Rivers has for a couple of years been lauded as a leader and emerging star. In 2008, he grew into his potential on the field, throwing for 4,009 yards and a team-record 34 touchdowns. His 105.5 passer rating was also a team record.

The Chargers are 33-15 and have gone to the playoffs all three seasons with Rivers as the starting quarterback. Rivers' passer rating and touchdown-to-interception ratio is better than those of Tom Brady, John Elway, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or Steve Young through their first 48 NFL starts.

The Jets' Favre, who was voted to the Pro Bowl, won't be playing because of injury and nor will Rivers, the No. 1 alternate. Rivers has a sore knee that will keep him out of the game.

What matters more in regard to Rivers' new contract is how his agent and the team believe he stacks up to current quarterbacks, namely Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning.

Those two QBs, who were drafted the same year as Rivers, have won NFL titles. Manning was MVP of last year's Super Bowl.

Roethlisberger last March signed an eight-year, $102 million contract that guaranteed him $36 million. Manning, whose contract also expires after '09, is expected to begin working on a new deal with the Giants soon.

While Rivers' passing statistics are superior to Roethlisberger and Manning, several league sources – agents and those in management – said yesterday that they expected Manning's deal to top Roethlisberger's and Rivers to fall behind Roethlisberger. The chief reason for that, according to one source, is that “those guys have won Super Bowls.”

The difference will be negligible.

Should the sides not agree, the Chargers would almost certainly use the franchise tag on Rivers. For a quarterback in 2010, that is expected to be around $17 million for one season.

For Rivers, that would be a lot of money for one season but only about half of what he could expect in guaranteed money on a long-term deal.

One reason the Chargers would like to get a Rivers deal done and avoid having to use the franchise tag – besides the fact $17 million is a large salary-cap hit – is that they might want to use the franchise tag on Shawne Merriman in 2010.

Said Smith: “There are a lot of things to work out.”

Assistant coach shuffle

Defensive line coach Wayne Nunnely, tied as the second-longest tenured assistant in the NFL, has left the Chargers after 12 seasons and taken the same position with the Denver Broncos.

“It's one of those deals where I felt it was time to have a change,” said Nunnely, who was offered a new contract by the Chargers. “An opportunity came up, and I thought it would be good.”

Don Johnson will replace Nunnely, and the team also finalized the hiring of secondary coach Steve Wilks.

Both men worked under Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera when he was the Bears' coordinator.

Wilks was fired by the Bears this month, and Johnson was let go by the Raiders this month.

Head coach Norv Turner is interviewing candidates for tight ends coach and another offensive line coach, as well as a quality control assistant, while at the Senior Bowl and expects to make those hires this week.